Learning French in Homeschool
French Curriculum and Supplements
Over the years we’ve tried many different language programs for our French class and have gotten some good basics, but we were really lacking in the grammar and written usage.
I searched through many different curriculums and finally decided on First Start French from Memoria Press.
We’ve been using the program for a little while now and I must say, I wish I would have gotten it years ago, but very glad to finally have it.
We go through 1-2 lessons per week and my children are learning – more than just conversational French.
We got the set with pronunciation CD and I find it extremely easy to teach. On Memoria’s website we also downloaded free crossword puzzles and quizzes, which enhance the lessons.
I highly recommend other visual, audio, and creative materials to create a full program that fits your students needs. These sets teach grammar.
If you are simply adding French for a foreign language credit – this is all you need.
The format is very much like their Latin curriculum and each lesson is simple yet thorough.
It’s entirely text – and the audio supplement is minimal, but we use it as a base and add supplemental materials to bring it to life.
I even created a set of handwriting books to complement them.
See our own French Handwriting Copywork Books below that pair perfectly with the Memoria Press French curriculum.
Some of our real favorite audio resources for French are from Anny Versini & Jean-Marc Versini – their albums are musical stories and songs in French and the kids really enjoy them. Currently they have over 24 albums available and we can’t wait to get them all.
What I really like is that the music is enjoyable – it’s not pop or hip-hop, just really nice children’s music and it’s also not overly cute, just really pleasant. Also included on some of the albums are instrumental only selections which are excellent for musical instrument practice as well.
Though, there aren’t any translations that I could find with the albums, as the children study the language and listen to the albums regularly they’re learning to understand them quite well.
Enhance Your Learning
Sometimes what we like to do for a little added fun for our language study is watch a DVD with the French language selected – our favorites for this are Winnie the Pooh movies – they are really fun to watch and listen to in French!
It’s amazing how much the kids, especially the younger ones, have gained from learning a second language. Learning a second language is proven to enhance memory, concentration and stimulate brain function – and it can be lots of fun. There are really a ton more great french albums on Amazon, iTunes, but the ones above are just some of our current favorites.
If you’re looking for some free audio resources there are a lot of great podcasts in iTunes. We enjoy Coffee Break French and it’s suitable for all ages, which makes it awesome for homeschool.
Using a variety of audio and video really enhances the French grammar from Memoria Press. We’ve found it to be much better to have the curriculum as a foundation for our studies for the older kids. Adding a variety of media brings what they’ve learned together and makes it fun whole family.
